Machinery for



D. ASBURY.

Ore Washer.

No. 4,496. Patented May 2,1846.

UNITED STATES PATENT, @FFIQE.

DANIEL ASBURY, OF COBURNS P. 0., NORTH CAROLINA.

MACHINERY FOR WASHING GOLD AND SILVER ORES.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 4,496, dated May 2, 1846.

To all whom 2'15 may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL AsBURY, of Coburns P. 0., in the county ofUnion and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and usefulapparatus for the washing and amalgamation of gold and silver, wherebythe separation of the said-metals from their ores and earthy impuritiesis much facilitated; the said apparatus is also useful for theseparation of platinum from the earthy and stony mixtures among which itis found; it is also applicable to the cleansing of the various metallicores from their earthy or stony mixtures in all the processes whichdepend upon the specific gravity or weight of the ore to be cleansed,and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of theprinciple or character thereof which distinguishes it from all othermachines, apparatuses, or things before known or in use and of themanner of making, constructing, and using the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, inwhich Figure 1 is an isometrical view; Fig. 2, one of the pans separate,showing the underside.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

By the ordinary and common processes of the separation of gold andsilver from their ores by washing with water and amalgamation withmercury, there has always been a loss of both gold and silver as well asof the mercury. In the hand rocker and long semi-circular trough usuallyworked by hand, the quantity of sand and gravel which these machines canwork is small, consequently when that contains but little gold orplatinum, it cannot be worked with profit; and in these machines thereis a great loss of both old and platinum as well as quicksilver, whenthat is used), because the motion is half the time in one direction, andhalf the time in another, by which the gold &c. is prevented fromsubsiding and consequently passes off with the water and sand. In theBurke rocker there is yet a greater waste of quicksilver and theprecious metals. In the Tyrolese bowls the sand and gravel subside toosoon to the bottom, and prevent the contact of the gold and silver withthe quicksilver. My machine I believe will obviate all these practicalevils which heretofore have attended the extraction of the preciousmetals from their ores and earthy or stony mixtures; these objects Iaffect in the way and manner following I form a frame (a) of wood or anysuitable material, of convenient proportions, as shown in the drawings;near each end of this frame there is a vertical shaft (6); these shaftshave each two sunk cranks (c) and (d) formed on them at right angles toeach other, and at equal heights on both shafts; to the lower cranks (c)an oblong rectangular horizontal frame (6) is coupled, so as to partakeof and describe circles in each and every part of the frame equal to thecircles described by the cranks when they are moved; to the cranks abovethereis a connecting rod (f) which serves to secure the proper rotationof the lower cranks and frame in the same direction. The whole may beput in motion by any convenient and proper motive power, which is in thedrawing represented as transmitted through the intervention of anadditional shaft (g) also vertical and consequently parallel with thoseabove described, the velocity being regulated by cones connected by aband (72.) which is moved up and down at the will of an attendant by alever or other contrivance, a device well known to mechanics; a band onthe additional pulley connects it with the prime mover. The frame (e) iskept in a horizontal position by means of chains or any other convenientmode of suspension attached to its corners and extending up to thestationary frame above. By thus suspending the frame it is evident thathowever much weight may be placed upon it, the cranks will not supportit, and thus leave them at liberty to convert all their reserved powerinto rotary motion, without much friction. On this frame (6) are placedany convenient number of pans, (Z) of circular form with flat bottoms asin (1) and (2), or with bottoms grooved in concentric rings as in (3);to the bottoms of those pans are affixed four (more or less) legs (m)which fit into holes let into the frame (6) to receive them; the legs onone side of the pans are made longer than those on the other, so thatthe side which has the longer legs can be elevated by inserting a blockbetween it and the frame to enable the opera tives to cleanse the pansspeedily, the longer legs are opposite the gate, so that when the sidesof the pans areelevated, the amalgam &c. will be readily taken out. In,each pan a gate or slidin piece is fitted which can be made to slide ownor up so as to permit the water, sand, &c. to escape.

By the above description it will be seen that the motion effected by mymachine in the pans is precisely similar to that of a person panning byhand, which motion all who are in the least acquainted with theoperation of extracting gold, etc., known to be the only one which willsave all the precious metals. It will be obvious that eccentrics, cams,&c, can be substituted for the cranks but I prefer them.

In usin this machine for extracting gold, silver an platinum, it isnecessary that the metals be disengaged from their matrix and free toobey the law of gravity, therefore ores that contain gold and silvermust be ground to powder so that these metals may be free to descend bytheir weight to the bottom of the pans.

To separate gold and silver from their impurities I proceed thus, usingamalgams alone: Let a stream of water be obtained, if convenient, sothat it can run into the pans when necessary. If no stream can be foundconveniently high, let a pool of water be made near the machine, thenfill up each pan about two thirds full of powdered or ground ore, orsand and gravel containing the gold &c. let the water into the pans andfill them as full as necessary, then start the machinery with such avelocity that it shall be sufiicient to keep the ore &c., from subsidingto the bottom in a firm mass; after washing sufficiently draw ofi thegreater portion of the sand and repeat the process as long as at first.

Having thus fully described my improved apparatus what I claim as myinvention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The moving frame (6)supporting one or more pans and moved by cranks or other analogousdevice causing them to be shaken in the manner and for the purpose aboveset forth.

D. ASBURY.

\Vitnesses: i

J. J. GREENOUGH, A. P. BROWNE.

